Vehicle transmission fluid cooler

Abstract

A vehicle transmission fluid cooler for enhancing the cooling of transmission fluid in a vehicle transmission. The vehicle transmission fluid cooler includes a perimeter mounting flange for mounting to the housing of the transmission. The perimeter mounting flange defines a hole for fluidly communicating with the access opening of the transmission when said perimeter mounting flange is mounted to the transmission housing. A body portion has a bottom wall and a peripheral wall. The peripheral wall extends upward from a periphery of the bottom wall such that an interior surface of the peripheral wall defines an interior of said body portion. The perimeter wall has a terminal end opposite the bottom wall. The terminal end of the peripheral wall is united to the perimeter mounting flange about the hole such that the interior of the peripheral wall is aligned with the hole for permitting transmission fluid of a transmission on which the perimeter mounting flange is mounted to flow through the access hole and the mounting flange into the interior of the body portion. A plurality of fins extend outwardly from an exterior surface of the peripheral wall of the body portion such that the fins are in thermal communication with the exterior and interior surfaces of the peripheral wall for transferring thermal energy from the transmission fluid to air surrounding said fins.

I claim:  
     
       1. A transmission fluid cooler for cooling transmission fluid of a transmission having a housing with an access opening, the transmission fluid cooler comprising: 
       a perimeter mounting flange for mounting to the housing of the transmission, said perimeter mounting flange defining a hole for fluidly communicating with the access opening when said perimeter mounting flange is mounted to the transmission housing:  
       a body portion having a bottom wall and a peripheral wall, said peripheral wall extending upward from a periphery of said bottom wall such that an interior surface of said peripheral wall defines an interior of said body portion, said perimeter wall having, a terminal end opposite said bottom wall, said terminal end of said peripheral wall being united to said perimeter mounting flange about said hole such that the interior of said peripheral wall is aligned with said hole for permitting transmission fluid of a transmission on which said perimeter mounting flange is mounted to flow through the access hole and said mounting flange into the interior of said body portion;  
       a plurality of fins extending outwardly from an exterior surface of said peripheral wall of said body portion such that said fins are in thermal communication with said exterior and interior surfaces of said peripheral wall for transferring thermal energy from the transmission fluid to air surrounding said fins; and  
       wherein said interior surface of said peripheral wall of said body portion and an interior Surface of said bottom wall of said body portion are each substantially flat for facilitating movement of the transmission fluid between the transmission and said body portion.  
     
     
       2. The transmission fluid cooler as set forth in claim  1  wherein said perimeter housing flange has a substantially rectangular configuration, said flange has a pair of end portions and a pair of side portions. 
     
     
       3. The transmission fluid cooler as set forth in claim  1  wherein said perimeter mounting flange has at least one aperture adapted for receiving fasteners adapted for securing a cover plate to the access opening of the transmission. 
     
     
       4. The transmission fluid cooler as set forth in claim  2  wherein each of said side portions has a plurality of apertures adapted for receiving fasteners adapted for securing a cover plate to the access opening of the transmission. 
     
     
       5. The transmission fluid cooler as set forth in claim  1  wherein said hole of said perimeter mounting flange has a rectangular configuration. 
     
     
       6. The transmission fluid cooler as set forth in claim  1  wherein each of said fins has a rectangular cross section. 
     
     
       7. The transmission fluid cooler as set forth in claim  1  wherein each of said fins orthogonally extend from the exterior surface of said perimeter wall and from said perimeter mounting flange to said bottom wall of said body portion. 
     
     
       8. The transmission fluid cooler as set forth in claim  1  further comprising a sensor port extending through said bottom wall of said body portion. 
     
     
       9. The transmission fluid cooler as set forth in claim  8  wherein said sensor port has internal threads for receiving a thermal sensor for sensing the temperature of the transmission fluid. 
     
     
       10. A transmission fluid cooler for cooling transmission fluid of a transmission having a housing with a power take off access opening and having a thermal sensor for sensing a temperature of the transmission fluid, the transmission fluid cooler comprising: 
       a perimeter mounting flange for mounting to the housing of the transmission, said perimeter mounting flange defining a hole for fluidly communicating with the access opening when said perimeter mounting flange is mounted to the transmission housing, said hole of said perimeter mounting flange having a rectangular configuration;  
       said perimeter housing flange having a substantially rectangular configuration, said flange having a pair of end portions and a pair of side portions, said perimeter housing flange having a plurality of apertures, each of said end portions having one of said apertures, each of said side portions having a pair of said apertures, said apertures of said flange adapted for receiving fasteners adapted for securing a power take off plate to the power take off access opening of the transmission;  
       a body portion having a bottom wall and a peripheral wall, said peripheral wall extending upward from a periphery of said bottom wall such that an interior surface of said peripheral wall defines an interior of said body portion, said perimeter wall having a terminal end opposite said bottom wall, said terminal end of said peripheral wall being united to said perimeter mounting flange about said hole such that the interior of said peripheral wall is aligned with said hole for permitting transmission fluid of a transmission on which said perimeter mounting flange is mounted to flow through the access hole and said mounting flange into the interior of said body portion;  
       a plurality of substantially rectangular fins being equidistantly spaced around an exterior surface of said peripheral wall of said body portion, said fins extending outwardly from said exterior surface of said peripheral wall such that said fins orthogonally extend from the exterior surface of said perimeter wall and from said perimeter mounting flange to an outer surface of said bottom wall, said fins being in thermal communication with said interior and exterior surfaces of said peripheral wall for transferring thermal energy from the transmission fluid to air surrounding said fins; and  
       wherein said interior surface of said peripheral wall of said body portion and an interior surface of said bottom wall of said body portion are each substantially flat for facilitating movement of the transmission fluid between the transmission and said body portion.  
     
     
       11. A transmission fluid cooler system comprising, in combination: 
       a transmission having a housing with an access opening;  
       a perimeter mounting flange for mounting to said housing of said transmission, said perimeter mounting flange defining a hole for fluidly communicating with the access opening when said perimeter mounting flange is mounted to said housing of said transmission;  
       a body portion having a bottom wall and a peripheral wall, said peripheral wall extending upward from a periphery of said bottom wall such that an interior surface of said peripheral wall defines an interior of said body portion, said perimeter wall having a terminal end opposite said bottom wall, said terminal end of said peripheral wall being united to said perimeter mounting flange about said hole such that the interior of said peripheral wall is aligned with said hole for permitting transmission fluid of said transmission on which said perimeter mounting flange is mounted to flow through said access hole and said mounting flange into the interior of said body portion;  
       a plurality of fins extending outwardly from an exterior surface of said peripheral wall of said body portion such that said fins are in thermal communication with said exterior and interior surfaces of said peripheral wall for transferring thermal energy from the transmission fluid to air surrounding said fins; and  
       wherein said interior surface of said peripheral wall of said body portion and an interior surface of said bottom wall of said body portion are each substantially flat for facilitating movement of the transmission fluid between said transmission and said body portion.  
     
     
       12. The transmission fluid cooler system as set forth in claim  11  wherein said perimeter housing flange has a substantially rectangular configuration, said flange has a pair of end portions and a pair of side portions. 
     
     
       13. The transmission fluid cooler system as set forth in claim  11  wherein said perimeter mounting flange has at least one aperture being for receiving fasteners for securing a cover plate to said access opening of said transmission. 
     
     
       14. The transmission fluid cooler system as set forth in claim  12  wherein each of said side portions has a plurality of apertures being for receiving fasteners for securing a cover plate to said access opening of said transmission. 
     
     
       15. The transmission fluid cooler system as set forth in claim  11  wherein said hole of said perimeter mounting flange has a rectangular configuration. 
     
     
       16. The transmission fluid cooler system as set forth in claim  11  wherein each of said fins has a rectangular cross section. 
     
     
       17. The transmission fluid cooler system as set forth in claim  11  wherein each of said fins orthogonally extend from said exterior surface of said perimeter wall and from said perimeter mounting flange to said bottom wall of said body portion. 
     
     
       18. The transmission fluid cooler system as set forth in claim  11  further comprising a sensor port extending through said bottom wall of said body portion. 
     
     
       19. The transmission fluid cooler as set forth in claim  18  wherein said sensor port has internal threads for receiving a thermal sensor adapted for sensing the temperature of the transmission fluid.